The upcoming Galaxy Note 8 and LG V30 are rumored to be jam-packed with exciting new features. These two could be among the first smartphones to support T-Mobile’s 600MHz LTE network. In a series of tweets on Monday, T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray touted the Speed Test results. Some of his tweets contained graphs and GIFs to show the company’s progress in terms of LTE speeds and availability in the last few months.
Image Credit: Ivo Maric / Concept Creator / YouTube video (screenshot)
T-Mobile’s LTE availability now higher than Verizon, AT&T
In just three years, T-Mobile’s coverage has grown from mainly urban areas to almost entire United States. Neville Ray claims the company’s LTE availability is now even higher than those of Verizon and AT&T. Sprint was not even included in the comparison. T-Mobile is aggressively targeting remote regions where its rivals might not be offering reliable services.
Also happy to announce that @TMobile customers will be able to take advantage of 600 MHz with devices THIS YEAR from 2 OEMs – Samsung & LG!
— Neville (@NevilleRay) July 17, 2017
Neville Ray disclosed in one of his tweets that T-Mobile users would be able to enjoy its 600MHz network with devices from Samsung and LG Electronics later this year. He did not specifically mention the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 and LG V30, but these devices are expected to be among the first to support the 600MHz network. Samsung’s current flagship Galaxy S8 already supports T-Mobile’s 600MHz network.
I love this GIF. We’ll be deploying 600 MHz so fast that we’re condensing a 2-yr process into only 6 months. ONLY @TMobile moves that fast! pic.twitter.com/uPtTtUf5FC
— Neville (@NevilleRay) July 17, 2017
Interestingly, the wireless carrier did not mention whether the upcoming iPhones would also support the new LTE network. Apple is set to launch iPhone 7S, iPhone 7S Plus, and iPhone 8 in September this year. The Cupertino company has traditionally been slow in adopting new standards in wireless technologies. Apple is unlikely to support T-Mobile’s 600MHz network until next year.
T-Mobile spent nearly $8 billion to acquire a huge amount of 600MHz spectrum in the FCC’s recent auction. The 600MHz and 700MHz networks offer longer range and improved penetration.
When will the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 and LG V30 launch?
Both the devices would launch around the same time. A recent report claims LG V30 will be unveiled at the IFA trade show in Berlin, which begins September 1. LG Electronics will hold a press event on August 31, a day before IFA, to unveil the V30. The company has already sent out invitations for the LG V30 launch event, which is set to begin at 9 a.m. local time on August 31st.
The V30 display is said to have the same 18:9 aspect ratio as the LG G6. It is rumored to pack 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The device would be powered by Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 835 processor. LG’s G6 comes with a year-old Snapdragon 821 processor. There will also be a microSD card slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB Type-C port. Just like its predecessor, the V30 is expected to feature a dual camera system on the back.
The Galaxy Note 8 was also previously rumored to be unveiled at the IFA event in Berlin. However, more recent rumors claim Samsung will hold an independent Unpacked event in New York on August 23 or August 26. Now Samsung’s mobile chief Dongjin Koh has confirmed that the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 would be unveiled in late August. It means both the Note 8 and LG V30 would arrive before Apple’s 10th anniversary iPhone.
Tech blog ePrice, which attended a conference in Taiwan held by Samsung, revealed that the Note 8 would be announced next month and go on sale in early September. Citing DJ Koh, the blog said the Unpacked event would most likely be held in New York on August 23 or August 26. However, only a few markets such as the US, South Korea, China, and the UK will get the device in September. Fans in other countries may have to wait until October to get their hands on the phablet.
The Note 8 is said to be Samsung’s most expensive flagship smartphone ever. It could cost users more than $1,000 for the highest storage option. Koh did not disclose the phone’s hardware specifications. Fortunately, the rumor mill has done a good job revealing the phone’s features and specifications.
Galaxy Note 8 specs
The Note 8 is rumored to sport a 6.3-inch Super AMOLED Infinity display. Supply chain leaks have revealed that its top bezel would be narrower than the Galaxy S8. The phone would stick to the 18.5:9 aspect ratio that Samsung used on the S8. The Note 8 would have a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, as Samsung has given up on the optical fingerprint solution for Note 8 due to security concerns.
The device is expected to pack 6GB RAM, a 3300mAh battery, and 64GB/128GB of internal storage. Of course, it would also come with an S Pen stylus. The Note 8 would be powered by Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895, depending on the market. It would run Android 7.1.1 Nougat right out of the box. Samsung may push out an Android O update at a later stage, though.
The upcoming Galaxy Note 8 will be Samsung’s first smartphone to feature a dual camera system on the rear panel. The dual camera setup would consist of two 13-megapixel sensors arranged horizontally. Next to the camera would be LED flash and heart rate sensor.